Farnsworth Group

Full-service architecture, engineering, land surveying

Director Project Accounting

Accounts Payable/ReceivableConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-time$150k - $220k

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field is required.
A minimum of 8–10 years of project accounting experience is required, including at least 3–5 years in a supervisory or management role overseeing a team of project accountants.
Experience supporting project accounting in a mid-to-large architecture, engineering, and/or survey firm with annual revenues well in excess of $100 million is strongly preferred.
Demonstrated expertise in contract setup, invoicing, revenue recognition, work in progress management, and project closeout is required.
A proven track record managing a team of 10 or more direct reports in a fast-paced, multi-project environment is required.
Experience supporting multiple Group Leaders or Practice Leaders across diverse project types and contract structures, including lump sum, time and materials, cost-plus, and indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts, is required.
Expert-level proficiency in Deltek VantagePoint or Deltek Vision is required.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and financial modeling, is required.
Proficiency in Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and SharePoint/Teams, is required.

Responsibilities

Lead, manage, and develop a team of 10–15 Project Accountants supporting multiple practice groups and Group Leaders.
Establish performance expectations, conduct regular one-on-ones, and deliver feedback and formal performance reviews.
Design and deliver onboarding and ongoing training programs on project accounting fundamentals and Deltek VantagePoint/Vision workflows.
Identify development opportunities and support career growth for team members.
Foster a team culture focused on accuracy, accountability, client service, and continuous improvement.
Distribute workloads across the team, balancing assignments to Group Leaders and project portfolios.
Recruit, interview, and onboard Project Accountants in partnership with Human Resources.
Oversee project setup in Deltek VantagePoint/Vision, including contract values, fee structures, billing terms, phases, tasks, and labor categories.
Review prime contracts, subconsultant agreements, and task orders to configure billing plans and revenue structures correctly.
Ensure contract modifications, amendments, and scope changes are accurately reflected in the project accounting system.
Establish project setup standards and naming conventions for consistent firm reporting.
Advise Group Leaders and Project Managers during contract negotiations on financial terms, billing structures, and fee adequacy.
Direct the project invoicing cycle and ensure invoices are prepared, reviewed, and issued accurately and on schedule.
Review draft invoices for completeness, accuracy, contract compliance, and supporting documentation.
Manage invoice approvals with Project Managers and Group Leaders to ensure timely client delivery.
Monitor accounts receivable aging, escalate delinquent accounts, and support collection efforts with project leadership.
Ensure retainage, subconsultant pass-through costs, and reimbursable expenses are handled according to contract terms.
Support billing under government, federal, and cost-plus contracts, including applicable Federal Acquisition Regulation billing requirements.
Oversee monthly revenue recognition in accordance with applicable accounting standards, including Accounting Standards Codification 606 and percentage-of-completion accounting.
Review and approve earned value calculations, percent-complete estimates, and estimate-at-completion updates.
Prepare monthly project financial reports for Group Leaders covering contract status, revenue earned, billed-to-date, backlog, and profitability metrics.
Identify and escalate financial risks such as budget overruns, write-downs, scope creep, or stalled billings.
Coordinate with the Senior Controller and Finance Director on month-end close activities involving project revenue, unbilled receivables, deferred revenue, and work-in-progress adjustments.
Serve as the subject matter expert for Deltek VantagePoint or Vision, guiding Project Accountants, Project Managers, and Group Leaders in system use.
Oversee project accounting database accuracy, including audits of project setup, labor posting, expense coding, and billing data.
Partner with Information Technology and finance leadership on system upgrades, module implementations, and workflow improvements.
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for VantagePoint/Vision project accounting processes and train team members.
Use VantagePoint/Vision reporting and business intelligence tools, including reporting, dashboards, and AI, to provide actionable financial data.
Serve as the primary liaison between the Project Accounting team and Group Leaders, Practice Leaders, and Project Managers across service lines.
Facilitate regular financial review meetings with Group Leaders to discuss backlog, billing pipeline, collections, and project profitability.
Educate and coach Project Managers on financial responsibilities, contract awareness, timesheet compliance, and project cost management.
Translate financial data into clear reporting that enables non-financial project leaders to make informed decisions.
Advise Group Leaders on fee negotiation, scope management, cost recovery, and financial performance improvement.
Oversee subconsultant invoice processing and tracking, ensuring alignment with teaming agreements, contract budgets, and project phase allocations.
Ensure subconsultant costs are accurately posted, billed to clients, and reconciled to commitments in VantagePoint/Vision.
Work with Project Managers to monitor subconsultant budget utilization and flag potential overruns.
Coordinate with Accounts Payable to ensure timely and accurate subconsultant payments under contract pay-when-paid provisions.
Support the Finance Director's annual revenue budgeting process with project-level data, pipeline insights, and portfolio projections.
Maintain project backlog and revenue forecasting models in coordination with Group Leaders and business development leadership.
Provide monthly net revenue and billing forecast data for cash flow planning and financial reporting.
Analyze utilization, project profitability, write-up/write-down rates, and collection performance trends to inform management decisions.
Establish and enforce internal controls over project accounting, including invoice review thresholds, approval workflows, and audit trail requirements.
Ensure compliance with firm-wide accounting policies, generally accepted accounting principles, and contract-specific billing and reporting requirements.
Lead or support internal and external audits involving project accounting, work in progress, and revenue recognition.
Improve project accounting workflows to reduce manual effort, increase accuracy, and shorten billing cycle times.
Develop and maintain the Project Accounting department's policies, procedures manual, and training documentation.

Desired Qualifications

A Certified Public Accountant or Certified Management Accountant designation is a plus but not required.
Familiarity with government and federal contracting billing requirements, including Federal Acquisition Regulation-compliant invoicing, is a plus.
Ability to train others and perform system administration tasks in Deltek VantagePoint or Deltek Vision is highly valued.
Experience with business intelligence or reporting tools such as Power BI or Deltek Reporting is a plus.

Farnsworth Group is seeking a Director of Project Accounting. This is a senior-level leader responsible for overseeing all project accounting operations across the firm’s architecture, engineering, and survey practice groups. This role manages a team of 10–15 Project Accountants who serve as the primary financial resource for Group Leaders and Project Managers throughout the full project lifecycle from contract setup and invoicing through revenue recognition and closeout.

The ideal candidate brings deep experience in AEC project accounting within a mid-to-large firm with annual revenues well in excess of $100 million. Expert-level proficiency in Deltek VantagePoint or Deltek Vision is essential, as is a demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and retain a high-performing team while maintaining the financial rigor and accuracy that complex, multi-contract project environments demand.

What You’ll Do:

Team Leadership & Development

Lead, manage, and develop a team of 10–15 Project Accountants supporting multiple practice groups and Group Leaders across the firm.
Establish clear performance expectations, conduct regular one-on-ones, and deliver timely, constructive feedback and formal performance reviews.
Design and deliver structured onboarding and ongoing training programs to build team proficiency in project accounting fundamentals and Deltek VantagePoint/Vision workflows.
Identify individual development opportunities and support career growth paths for team members at all experience levels.
Foster a team culture grounded in accuracy, accountability, client service, and continuous improvement.
Manage workload distribution across the team, balancing assignments to Group Leaders and project portfolios equitably and strategically.
Recruit, interview, and onboard Project Accountants as the team grows or turnover occurs, partnering with HR on hiring practices.

Project Setup & Contract Administration

Oversee accurate and timely project setup in Deltek VantagePoint/Vision, including contract values, fee structures, billing terms, phases, tasks, and labor categories.
Review and interpret prime contracts, subconsultant agreements, and task orders to ensure billing plans and revenue structures are configured correctly.
Ensure all contract modifications, amendments, and scope changes are reflected in the project accounting system promptly and accurately.
Establish and enforce project setup standards and naming conventions to support consistent reporting across the firm.
Partner with Group Leaders and Project Managers during contract negotiation to advise on financial terms, billing structures, and fee adequacy.

Client Invoicing & Accounts Receivable

Direct the full invoicing cycle for the firm’s project portfolio, ensuring invoices are prepared, reviewed, and issued accurately and on schedule.
Review draft invoices prepared by Project Accountants for completeness, accuracy, contract compliance, and appropriate backup documentation.
Manage the invoice approval workflow in coordination with Project Managers and Group Leaders, ensuring timely client delivery.
Monitor accounts receivable aging across the portfolio; escalate delinquent accounts and support collection efforts in coordination with project leadership.
Ensure proper handling of retainage, subconsultant pass-through costs, and reimbursable expenses per contract terms.
Support the preparation and submission of billing on government, federal, and cost-plus contract types, including compliance with FAR billing requirements where applicable.

Revenue Recognition & Project Financial Reporting

Oversee monthly revenue recognition for the firm’s project portfolio, ensuring compliance with applicable accounting standards (ASC 606 / percentage-of-completion).
Review and approve earned value calculations, percent-complete estimates, and EAC (Estimate at Completion) updates prepared by Project Accountants.
Prepare and deliver monthly project financial reports to Group Leaders, including contract status, revenue earned, billed-to-date, backlog, and profitability metrics.
Identify projects with financial risk: budget overruns, write-downs, scope creep, or stalled billings, and escalate proactively to leadership.
Coordinate with the Sr. Controller and Finance Director on month-end close activities related to project revenue, unbilled receivables, deferred revenue, and WIP adjustments.

Deltek VantagePoint / Vision System Management

Serve as a subject matter expert and internal resource for Deltek VantagePoint (or Vision), providing guidance to Project Accountants, Project Managers, and Group Leaders on system use.
Oversee the accuracy of the project accounting database, including periodic audits of project setup, labor posting, expense coding, and billing data.
Partner with IT and finance leadership on system upgrades, module implementations, and workflow enhancements within VantagePoint/Vision.
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for all VantagePoint/Vision project accounting processes and train team members accordingly.
Leverage reporting and business intelligence tools within VantagePoint/Vision (e.g., Reporting, Dashboards, AI) to produce actionable financial data for stakeholders.

Group Leader & Project Manager Partnership

Serve as the primary liaison between the Project Accounting team and Group Leaders, Practice Leaders, and Project Managers across all service lines.
Facilitate regular project financial review meetings with Group Leaders to discuss backlog, billing pipeline, collections, and project profitability.
Educate and coach Project Managers on financial responsibilities, contract awareness, timesheet compliance, and project cost management.
Translate financial data into clear, accessible reporting that enables non-financial project leaders to make informed decisions.
Act as a trusted advisor to Group Leaders on matters of fee negotiation, scope management, cost recovery, and financial performance improvement.

Subconsultant & Vendor Cost Management

Oversee the processing and tracking of subconsultant invoices, ensuring alignment with executed teaming agreements, contract budgets, and project phase allocations.
Ensure subconsultant costs are accurately posted, billed to clients, and reconciled to commitments in VantagePoint/Vision.
Work with Project Managers to monitor subconsultant budget utilization and flag potential overruns before they impact project profitability.
Coordinate with Accounts Payable to ensure timely and accurate payment of subconsultants in accordance with contract pay-when-paid provisions.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Backlog Reporting

Support the Finance Director in the annual revenue budgeting process by providing project-level data, pipeline insights, and portfolio-level projections.
Maintain and update the firm’s project backlog and revenue forecasting models in coordination with Group Leaders and business development leadership.
Provide monthly net revenue and billing forecast data to finance leadership to support cash flow planning and financial reporting.
Analyze trends in utilization, project profitability, write-up/write-down rates, and collection performance to inform management decisions.

Compliance, Internal Controls & Process Improvement

Establish and enforce internal controls over project accounting processes, including invoice review thresholds, approval workflows, and audit trail requirements.
Ensure compliance with firm-wide accounting policies, GAAP, and contract-specific billing and reporting requirements.
Lead or support internal and external audits as they relate to project accounting, WIP, and revenue recognition.
Continuously evaluate and improve project accounting workflows, reducing manual effort, increasing accuracy, and shortening billing cycle times.
Develop and maintain the Project Accounting department’s policies, procedures manual, and training documentation.

What You’ll Need:

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field required.
CPA or CMA designation a plus, but not required.

Experience

Minimum of 8–10 years of project accounting experience, with at least 3–5 years in a supervisory or management role overseeing a team of project accountants.
Experience at a mid-to-large AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and/or Survey) firm with annual revenues well in excess of $100 million strongly preferred.
Demonstrated expertise in all phases of AEC project accounting: contract setup, invoicing, revenue recognition, WIP management, and project closeout.
Proven track record managing a team of 10 or more direct reports in a fast-paced, multi-project environment.
Experience supporting multiple Group Leaders or Practice Leaders simultaneously across diverse project types and contract structures (lump sum, T&M, cost-plus, IDIQ, etc.).
Familiarity with government and federal contracting billing requirements, including FAR-compliant invoicing, a plus.

Technical Skills

Expert-level proficiency in Deltek VantagePoint or Deltek Vision required; ability to train others and navigate system administration tasks is highly valued.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and financial modeling.
Proficiency in Microsoft 365 suite including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and SharePoint/Teams.
Experience with business intelligence or reporting tools (Power BI, Deltek Reporting, etc.) a plus.

Compensation to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, as well as internal and external equity.

Illinois Pay Transparency

$150,000—$220,000 USD

Who We Are:

Join Farnsworth Group, a nationally recognized architectural engineering and surveying firm where your career can thrive! For eleven consecutive years, we’ve been certified as a Great Place to Work®, and our engineers, architects, surveyors, and scientists channel their passion and expertise into making meaningful contributions to the world around us. With more than 650 talented professionals across 24 offices, we collaborate with clients ranging from small communities to some of the world’s largest brands. Our success is built on our people - their passion, creativity, and commitment to excellence. Here, you’ll find a supportive culture that champions your growth, embraces challenges, values work-life balance, and empowers you to make a lasting impact for our clients and communities. Join us and move your career forward.

A Great Place to Work Certified

For eleven consecutive years, Farnsworth Group has earned the prestigious Great Place to Work® certification—thanks to our employees! Each year, our staff participate in a survey administered by the Great Place to Work organization, measuring perceptions of credibility, respect, pride, fairness, and camaraderie. The results are benchmarked against the nation’s leading companies, and only top performers receive the certification. Insights from the survey help us continually enhance our work environment and foster a culture that makes Farnsworth Group an even greater place to work.

Full-time regular employee benefits and perks include:

401(k) with 100% Company Match up to 5%
Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance Plans
Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts
Short & Long-Term Disability
Maternity and Paternity Leave
Professional Development and Training
Mentoring Program
Paid Time Off
Wellness/Fitness Reimbursements
Pet Insurance Plan
Hybrid Work Program (for eligible roles)

Farnsworth Group knows flexibility and work-life balance matter. Many of our roles are eligible for our Hybrid Work Program, which offers a flexible arrangement while supporting our culture and success. Ask your recruiter whether this position qualifies.

Statement on Diversity and Inclusion:

Farnsworth Group is a collection of employees with unique backgrounds and perspectives that all come together to make us a better Company. It is our goal to recruit, hire, develop, retain, and promote a diverse group of people. Join us…and let’s make a difference, together.

Farnsworth Group, Inc. is proud to be a M/F Disabled and Veteran EEO/AA employer.

Illinois Pay Transparency 150000 - 220000 USD

About the Company

Farnsworth Group

Full-service architecture, engineering, land surveying

Farnsworth Group is an employee-owned, full-service design firm with engineers, architects, surveyors, and technicians delivering multidisciplinary design across architecture, engineering, surveying, commissioning, and energy services. It coordinates planning through construction with in-house teams to create holistic solutions for projects. Its edge comes from being employee-owned and having a high rate of repeat clients, plus broad in-house capabilities that enable integrated, end-to-end design. The goal is to champion clients’ successes, support community progress, and deliver high-quality, sustainable design that adapts to a changing world.

Company size: 201-500
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Bloomington, IN
Founded: 1890

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